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DOYLE DIETZ / CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Randy Emerich, founder of the Pottsville-based Big Dady Custom Rods, says that taking time to inspect rods, reels and terminal tackle well before the opening of trout — or as in the case in this photo, bass — season prevents problems on the water and wasting valuable fishing time.

POTTSVILLE

Randy Emerich knows fishing rods.

Boy, does he ever know fishing rods.

As the founder of his Pottsville-based business, Big Dady Custom Rods, Emerich turns out one-of-a-kind fly, spinning and casting rods to fit the special needs and wants of each individual order. No matter how much tender, loving care goes into the construction of a custom rod from Big Dady, it should still receive the same preseason inspection and maintenance — if needed — as a $10 rod-and-reel combination from a yard sale.

In the minds of most Pennsylvania anglers, fishing “season” is synonymous with trout season. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Southeast Region Mentored Trout Day is Saturday, March 24, while the Southeast Region opening day for trout is Saturday, March 31. Mentored Youth Trout Day statewide is Saturday, April 7, with opening day for trout Saturday, April 14.

During those sub-freezing days of January and early February, we’ve all been checking out our fishing gear to be fully prepared for spring.

Yeah, right.

Well, not to worry because there is still plenty of time to have that tackle tuned up before “guiding” on youth day and the following Saturday’s regional opener. All that needs to be done is follow the plan Emerich recently outlined to his fellow members of Schuylkill County Chapter of Trout Unlimited.

• Rods: Rods should be washed down and cleaned to remove the dirt and grime that will damage them. When dirt builds up on the line from casting into dirty water, the line rubs against the guide, causing a sanding effect that will damage that guide.

To check for damage on a rod, take a Q-Tip and rub it on the inside of each guide when the rod is dry. If there are cuts or breaks to the guides, cotton wisps will cling on the groove.

Get them replaced immediately, as that damage will cut and damage the line. The guide that is damaged the quickest is the tip top. This location is the first guide to see all the dirt and grime from the water and gets the most wear on a rod.

• Reels: Remove the spool to look for dirt and grime as a lot of dirt gets pulled into all the reels. Spinning, casting, fly, it doesn’t matter. Putting new oil or grease into the gears is always a good idea.

Emerich uses automatic transmission fluid — or ATF — on his reels. A few drops on the spindle of casting, spinning or fly reels can work wonders, but do not take apart the drags, as for the most part are closed or sealed for a reason.

Standard drags are made up of cork plates or washers on Delran. If they get oily, they will not work, so wipe off the outside of reels.

• Line: It’s been said that fly lines usually last 200 hours of use, and once a fly line is cracked, it’s time to replace it. Most modern lines are plastic coated, so on each and every cast the line picks up tiny particles from the water, building up dirt, grime and chemicals on the line.

To clean that line, take it off the reel, coil it on the floor, take a rag soaked in warm soapy water and pull the line through the wet rag. Stop every so often to check for dirt and grime that is deposited on the rag, moving the line to a clean spot on the rag and continue to the tip of the line.

There is nothing wrong with cleaning the line more than once. Denatured alcohol can also be used to clean line. Make sure the line is dry before mounting back on the reel, and the backing should also be checked for wear and tear.

If the backing is dirty, it should be cleaned because dirt is what wears on guides and will cut a groove into them. Leaders should also be replaced because the sun will weaken the monofilament, causing the mono to break down.

This is also true for spinning and casting reels, so replace that line. Losing an expensive lure — as well as the fish that took the bait — to weak line that broke off makes the cost of new line a minor expense.

Following this advice from Emerich is a sure way to be ready for not only the opening of trout season, but the entire fishing season.

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